Endometrial Ablation

The results from the biopsy that I spoke of during the last post came back and I do not have cancer (big surprise... but it really is still great news).

I had my ablation surgery yesterday and it was a breeze! They kept me waiting around at the hospital before it forever (they were really booked and I think there's a possibility that Dr. Owens was running late due to another surgery or something). Anyway, they put me under general anesthesia for it and I think I was asleep for a total of like 45 minutes or something. It was pretty sweet, they used a gas mask on me and kept telling me to take deep breaths, I counted three deep breaths and I was out. I woke up in recovery and was fine. After he was done, Dr. Owens showed Devonn before and after pictures of my uterus which is too cool.

They ended up getting to do the hydrothermablation procedure where they use hot saline to burn and destroy the lining of the uterus. This procedure is more thorough as the saline reaches all the crevices of the uterus destroying it all. It works better for an abnormally shaped uterus and fibroid tumors as well (ie- me). So the goal and the hope for us, is that I will not have periods at all. Dr. Owens said that no periods is about a 60% chance and that totally normally menstrual cycles (no mid-cycle bleeding and periods that last 4-5 days) is about a 90% chance. Did you know that a normal period only lasts 4-5 days? That's crazy! Mine last like 8 and the thing that really caused me to see the Dr. is that since Lexi, I basically spotted and/or bled three weeks out of the month. Blah, Blah.

Anyway, I took a long nap when I came home yesterday, mostly just cause I could, not because I was really overly tired. The cramping was moderate, not unlike bad period cramps. I took tylenol with codeine which took the edge slightly away. This morning, I woke up feeling pretty good. I still have some mild cramping when I let Lexi stand on my stomach and stuff- but nothing serious and nothing that warrants medication at all.

I just have to give a shout out to Dr. Owens and his staff- they are truly awesome! They are so proactive with my care. They don't fiddle around and make me wait for results, they do the testing they need to do right away, give me my options, and help me make informed decisions about my healthcare. I always get an immediate personal call from Dr. Owens or Laura (the nurse practitioner) with test results or a call from Rosie (the RN) the day after any surgery or procedure. They all know exactly what they're doing with our insurance (it can be a pain since it's not good, private insurance). And even the medical assistants are outgoing, friendly, and remember you each visit. They have a super full patient load, yet I've still never waited in the waiting room more than 15 minutes and they still treat you like you're important to them. I was in Rosie's office getting all the information I needed for my surgery and I was looking at her pictures and apparently, Dr. Owens takes his entire staff on annual vacations to exotic locations as well as to medical conferences and such to keep them all up to date on the latest info in obstetrics and gynecology. I wish he could have been my physician all along, but now that I have him, I'm determined to keep him until he retires (which better be when he's in his 90's or something).

Anyway, I'll keep everyone updated on the ablation results.

Female Issues Part 2

Uterus is abnormally thick. Blood within the lining of the uterus when there should not be. Fibroid still present. One treatment option to control the bleeding is hormonal birth control, but that could make the fibroid much larger and when I stopped taking it, I'd be right back at square one. The other treatment option (and the one I opted for) is endometrial ablation, where they burn out the lining of the uterus. This a relatively simple procedure and I should be back to normal quickly. This either takes away periods altogether (crossing my fingers) or greatly reduces them and the cramping and spotting will GONE! The only crappy thing is that my insurance requires an endometrial biopsy, which is painful and crappy, before they'll authorize the ablation. I was supposed to go in for my biopsy last week but my period showed up the morning of (FOUR days early!) So now the biopsy is scheduled for the 30th (the day after the all girls rafting trip).

Female Issues

I went to the ob/gyn yesterday. I saw Laura, the nurse practitioner. Although I've had experiences with Laura where her bedside manner isn't the best, yesterday went well. I explained to her that I'm basically bleeding/spotting and cramping 3 weeks out of the month (it seems to clear up for the week immediately before my period). After taking a history and feeling my uterus, she seems to think that the fibroid I had during my last pregnancy never went away. She said that my uterus feels abnormally firm and it did hurt while she was pressing on it with just mild pressure. My mom had these type of issues as well, fibroids and cysts, which eventually led to her having a total hysterectomy. Anyway, we won't actually know anything until after I have an ultrasound and because I have ghetto insurance, it has to be authorized first. So, I go back next Friday for that. I hope they find exactly what it is so they can treat me effectively cause this is getting crazy.

Anyway, I guess that's all for now.

Another Great One

Here is another great article from Janna Dean:

http://blog.cjanerun.com/2011/06/for-several-years-and-many-different.html

I love it. I love reading her articles. They make me feel less obsessed with the number on the scale and how fat I look. They make me want to be healthy for the sake of being healthy. I want to feel good, not have high cholesterol, not have gall bladder issues, have LOTS of energy to play with the munchkins, to boost my immune system...

Today is the day I can finally grocery shop. I'm tired (dealing with a super fussy baby- hope she's teething and a sick (AGAIN) 5-year old) and I just don't feel like going, but we NEED to. We are O-U-T of food. I cleaned out the cabinets yesterday and ended up throwing out 5 bags of expired foods. It was crazy and now I feel wasteful that I buy so many things and then neglect to eat them. Also, we've been shopping at Foodmaxx again recently because it's so close, and we have bought things on SO many occasions and then brought it home to realize it's already expired or when it's not expired as far as the date, it has still already gone bad. So dumb!

Off the Wagon

Needless to say, I have fallen off the wagon in a bad way and I am fatter than ever. Aside from being fat, I just feel unhealthy and I don't like it. I went to the Dr. the other day... I saw a nurse practitioner who was an absolute QUACK. She took me off of the cholesterol medication even though two actual physicians told me I would need to be on it forever unless by some miracle I was at a totally healthy BMI and was a complete vegetarian. But she insisted so I told her okay and quit. I guess once she sees that my cholesterol is sky high again she'll put me back on it. Anyway, she also told me that I have adult onset acne (oh joy!) and prescribed benzoyl peroxide (which costs $21.99 since insurance won't cover it). So I'm starting the regimen on acne.org tonight. (basically: cleanse, use benzoyl peroxide, moisturize. Twice a day. Every day). Also, I had to beg her to write me a prescription for the medication that I know I need for my eczema.

Aside from those issues, the female issues continue and I have an appointment with my ob/gyn in a couple weeks. (I kept having to postpone it because things with the kids would come up). Also, my gallbladder has been acting up again. I DO NOT want the surgery so I am going to make one last attempt at dramatically reducing the fat in my diet.

I'm also having mental issues- seriously, I think I'm going crazy. I have been SO anxious over the kids being sick, specifically Lexi. I am such a hypochondriac with them. Andrew had strep throat, was treated and is fine. But, his allergies have not quit acting up in like a year and he constantly has bloody boogers/snot which really causes my hypochondria to go nuts (I won't tell you all what I convince myself it really is). And then there's Lexi... you can read all about her woes on the main blog.

Bottom line: I am unhealthy in so many ways and I know that if I just ate more fruits and vegetables, drank more water, and ate less processed foods coupled with exercise, I would totally feel much better in every way. Currently we only have CRAPPY food and I can't shop until after payday so I will make do for now, but starting in June, I think I'll give it another serious go.

I'm Fat

I wouldn't be surprised if I stepped on the scale and was heavier than ever! I have been eating candy, cookies, chips, and junk in great volume in addition to no water and big meals. Ughh. Why don't I have self control!? I'm super nervous and stressed about my talk and everything I have to do... :(

I will jump back on the wagon soon! (I hope).

I gained

And you know what? I don't care! I have been really busy and I just hit a slump where I've been emotionally eating. I don't have time to count every calorie at the moment, nor do I want to. I have a lot going on and eating 5 donut holes, 3 brownies, plus other junk at Amber's the other night just made me feel good! I will gain my motivation sometime, but probably not this week, with a church lesson AND a talk to prepare.

I will be more mindful of what I eat and try to limit the junk food, but that's the extent of it. Anyway, off to do my miles long to do list!